主管

• Pinyin: zhǔ guǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 主 = lamp with flame (master); 管 = 竹 (bamboo) + 官 (official) — originally a bamboo tube, extended to manage

Meaning

To be in charge of; to supervise. As a noun, refers to a supervisor, manager, or person in charge.

Used in workplace contexts to refer to someone with supervisory authority. As a verb, it means to have responsibility for managing a department, project, or area of work.

Examples

1. 他是我们部门的主管，负责所有日常事务。 He is the supervisor of our department, responsible for all daily affairs.
2. 这个项目由王经理主管。 This project is managed by Manager Wang.
3. 人事主管今天不在办公室。 The HR supervisor is not in the office today.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, business

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 我需要和主管商量一下这件事。(I need to discuss this matter with my supervisor.)
• 她主管公司的市场营销工作。(She is in charge of the company's marketing.)

Don't Say

• 把主管和老板混用 (Don't confuse 主管 with 老板 — 主管 is a mid-level supervisor, while 老板 is the boss or owner)

Origin & History

主 (main, primary) + 管 (to manage, to control). Together they mean to have primary management responsibility.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal